Combination automatic boat release and utility hook



June 9, 1931. O b. D. B UI 'LER 1,808,945

COMBINATION AUTOMATIC B-OAT RELEASE ANDOTILITY HOOK I Filed Sept. 24. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 /z Ill "1",

I n venior June 9, 1931. o. D. BUTLER 1,808,945

COMBINATION AUTOMATIC BOAT RELEASE AND UTILITY HOOK Filed Sept. 24. 1929 r 4 Sheets-'Sheet 2 lnventof 01a ifizaZ/er I Q By /ftiomey a v 9 H June 9, 1931. o. D. BUILER 1,308,945

COMBINATION AUTOMATIC BOAT RELEASE AND UTILITY HOOK Filed Sept. 24. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 A iiorney June 9, 1931. o, BUTLER 7 1,808,945 A COMBINATION AUTOMATIC BOAT RELEASE AND UTILITY HOOK Filed Sept. 24. 1929 4 Sheets-Shee t 4 Inventor 8/ fiia Izaak Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED STATES OLA D. BUTLER, OF QUANTICO, VIRGINIA COMBINATION AUTOMATIC BOAT RELEASE AND UTILITY HOOK- Application filed September 24, 1929. Serial No. 394,873.

This invention relates to combination automatic boat release and utility hooks and is particularly adaptable to attaching hooks on boats.

An object of the invention is to'provide a hook of the'character referred to that may be locked from releasing on intermittent strains such as is experienced in picking up boats in the open sea, or may be set so as to release the hook when the weight is released therefrom.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a hook of the character referred to, which is waterproof and oil proof, capable of being easily assembled or dis-assembled, that 'is strong, compact and durable, thoroughly reliable for its intended purpose, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. and oper ate.

Withthe foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is disclosed an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the claims hereto -appended.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in accordance with the present invention illustrating an application thereof to a hoisting hook and an object to be lifted thereby.

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the device of the present invention having one of the side cover plates removed and illustrating the parts in lower position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan similar to Figure 2 illustrating the parts in locked hoist position.

parts.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical section in detail through the block section of the casing taken substantially on line H of Figure 7 Figure 5 is a longitudinal section in detail taken substantially on line 55 of Figure 7 and illustrating the gears and pawls in locked hoisting position.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the gears and pawls in lowering position.

Figure 7 is a transverse section in detail taken substantially on line 7-7 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary section in detail taken on line 88 of Figure 1, illustrating the locking parts in hoist position. -60

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 illustrating the locking parts in lower position with the jaws locked open.

Figure 10 is a plan view of the disk of the locking parts.

Figure 11 is a. perspective view of the locking arm.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of the attaching bolt.

Figure 13 is a horizontal sectional view in detail through the cams disks.

Figure 1a is a plan view of one of the gears supported on one of the spindles and having the pawl removed therefrom.

Figure 15 is a perspective view of one of 75 the pawls removed from the seating recess in the gears.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a casing of rectangular configuration is. indicated I generally at 1 and consists of a block section 2 and a hollow section 3 disposed in abutting relation to each other. A side cover plate 4 is secured over the hollow section and forms one side of the casing. Aside cover plate 85 5 is disposed over the outer face of the block section 2 to form the opposite side of the casing. A top cover plate 6 is secured over the upperends of both sections. A. bottom cover plate section 7 together with the bot- 90 tom walls of sections 2 and 3 provide a bottom wall of the casing.

A yoke shaped guide 8 has the legs 9, 10 thereof secured in recesses 11, 12, in the outer face of the block section 2. Grooves 13 are formed in opposite legs 9, 10, in which the side edges of the head 14 of the attaching arm 15 is slidably mounted. A rectangular pocket 16 extends upwardly into sections 2 and 3 for a portion of the length to receive the rectangular head 17 of the bolt 18 and the lower end of the bolt 18 is attached to a plate 19 that is secured to a boat 20 or other object to be raised by the device.

On the opposite sides of section 2, the walls thereof adjacent the pocket 16 are provided with a pair of recesses 21, 22 in which is arranged the gripping member consisting of a pair of gripping jaws 23, 24. The gripping jaws 23, 24 are formed so that when adjacent faces thereof are projected into the pocket 16 in abutting relation, the upper faces thereof lock in the rectangular head 17 of the bolt 18, as will be clearily understood by referring to Figure 4 of the drawings.

The gripping jaw 23 has a spindle 25 journalled in the recess in section 2. A spindle 26 projects above the jaw 23 and is j ournalled through section 3. The gripping jaw 24 is rotatably supported on spindles 27, 28 journalled in the respective sections 2 and 3. The upper end of the spindle 26 is flattened out to a polygonal configuration 29 that terminates in a recess 30 on the side plate 4 so that the gripping jaws may be turned by a wrench applied thereto in event the mechanism would for any reason cease to operate.

The upper spindles 26, 28 extend into an open chamber indicated generally at 31 formed interiorly of section 3. The chamber 31 is formed in the outer side of section 3 and is covered by the side cover plate 4. The inner wall of compartment 31 is substantially plane and is recessed circumjacent the openings in which the spindles 26, 28 extends to receive fabric washers 32, 33, to prevent the escape of oil from the compartment. The inner face of the side cover plate 4 about the opening through which spindle 26 extends is also recessed to receive a fabric washer 34 to prevent the leakage of oil from compartment 31.

It is 'to be understood that oil or grease may be inserted in compartment 31 so as to facilitate the working of the parts and also to prevent them from rusting. A yoke shaped locking arm indicated generally at35 has the flat legs 36, 37 slidable in grooves 38, 39 formed in the side walls of compartment 31. The length of the locking arm 35 is less than the length of the compartment so as to rovide ample space for its locking movement. An extension 40 is secured at its inner end to the bight portion 41 of the locking arm 35 and the outer end thereof is secured to the head 14 by means of a screw 42 that extends through an opening 43 therein.

The extension 40 projects through an opening formed in the top of the casing. It follows then that the movement of the casing 1 with respect to the bolt 15 will cause a movement of legs 36, 37 of the arm 35. On the up per face of the legs 36, 37 adjacent the ends thereof, there are formed upstanding lugs 44, 45 of sector-shaped configuration.

Viithin the chamber 31 there are a pair of substantially segmental-shaped gears 46, 47 having teeth 48 in mesh with each other. The gears are rigidly secured to spindles 26, 28, so that the operation of the gears will turn the gripping jaws 23,24. The ends of the respective gears 46, 47, have a spring 49 anchored thereto for normally urging the gears together for a purpose to be described. The upper face of the gears are recessed as at 95' to receive the pawls to be described, and an upstanding shoulder 95 extends around a portion of the recess.

Rotatably supported on spindles 26, 28 and slidably superimposed upon gears 46, 47 are a pair of pawls 50, 51, an enlarged view of which is disclosed in Figure 15 of the drawings. Considering pawl 50 as a representative of both, the body thereof is formed with a central opening 52 that is circumposed about the spindle. Projecting from the peripheries of each pawl is a boss 53 to which is anchored an upstanding lug 54. Helical coil springs 55 are disposed about the spindles 26, 28, between the gears and the pawls and one end 56 is anchored to the pawls and the other end 57 thereof is anchored to the gears.

It is therefore obvious that the paWls 50, 51 are free to rotate about the respective spindles under tension of the springs 55. With in the compartment or chamber 31 there are movably mounted a pair of latch plates 58, 59 of flat contour and of angular configuration. One of the legs of each plate is pivoted as at 60 to the side walls of section 3 within grooves 61 extending longitudinally of the side walls of the chamber.

The legs 62'of each latch are slidably receivable in the grooves 61. The other legs 63 of the latches project inwardly. into the chamber 31 and are normally urged intoabutting relation by a spring 64 the opposite ends of which are secured to the legs 63 as at 65, 66. The upper edge of the legs 63 are slidably disposed in a groove in the guide bar 67 that is secured across the chamber 31. The guide bar 67 permits the movement of the latches in the same plane. v

TvVhere legs 63 merge with the legs 62 the latches are formed on the inner edges with a true right-angled section 68 that forms a seat for holding lugs 54 when the latches are held close together, while the lower ends of the legs flare outwardly therefrom as at 69 to permit the lugs to ride thereon.

The bolt 15 at its inner end is slidably confined in a socket 71, formed in the section 2. The bolt 15 extends through an opening in the cover plate 6 which registers with the socket 71. A helical coil spring has one end thereof bearing against a shoulder 72 on the inner end of the bolt 15 while the upper end of said coil spring bears against the cover plate 6. The fabric washer 74 is seated about the bolt 15 in a recess in the cover plate 6 to prevent oil from seeping out of the socket 71 and also to prevent water from entering therein. The upper end of the bolt 15 is screw-threaded and reduced for receiving the head 14 thereof. The head 14 is pro vided with an opening 7 5 to receive a link 7 6. The side edges of the head 14 slide in the grooves 13 of the guide 8.

An annular shoulder 7 7 projects outwardly from the cover plate 4 and has an annular plate 7 8 secured therein in spaced relation to the inner wall of the shoulder. An operating shaft 79 extends through the plate 78, and through the cover plate 4 and terminates in spaced relation to the inner face of said cover plate. On the inner end of the shaft 79 there are formed a pair of spaced guide disks 80 in which space the inner edges of opposed legs 63 of the latch plates are adapted to ride.

Disposed diametrically across the space between the disks is a cam 81 that moves the legs 63 apart by turning the shaft 7 9. A spring 82 is disposed between the upper disc 80 and the lower face of the cover plate 4 to take up thrust in the shaft 79. A disc 83 is secured to shaft 79 within the recess of the shoulder 77 and on a portion of the margin thereof, there is formed a cam 84 in the 0011- figuration of an inclined plane.

lVithin the annular shoulder 77 a pin 85 extends through the walls of the cover plate 4 and has a shoulder 86 formed on its inner end. The outer end of the pin has a leg 87 extending at right angles thereto and is adapted to overlap the marginal portion of the disc 83 and ride on the cam 84. A spring is disposed between the shoulder 86 and the inner face of the cover plate 4 to normally urge the pin 85 inwardly.

Projecting below the shoulder 86 is a lug 88 that is adapted to be detachably seated in a recess 89 formed in the upper face of one of the segmental gears 46. On the outer end of the shaft 7 9 there is an indicating handle 91 through which the shaft 7 9 moves the cam 81 for causing legs 63 to spread apart or permit them to be drawn together.

Suitable indicating means 92, 93 may be placed on the cover plate 4, 90 degrees apart so that the shaft 7 9 may be turned to lower or hoist position as desired whereby such movement will cause cam 81 to either spread legs 63 apart or permit them to be drawn together under the pressure of spring 64.

In the application of the invention a link or shackle 76 is connected to the hoisting apparatus and is attached to the head 14. T he head 17 of the bolt 18 can be forced into the opening 16 and the jaws 23, 24 will spread as shown in Figures 3 and 8.

The pin 85 rides on boss 84 and is free of contact with gear 46. Pawls 50, 51 are latched in the angle 68 of the plate latches and locking arm 35 is free to move up and down in groove 61 without interference with lugs 53 on the pawls 50, 51. Before the boat '20 is brought into rest at the place where it is hoisted, the pointer 91 is turned to lower position and then the latches are spread apart which permits lugs 53 of pawls 50, 51 to turn under tension of spring 55 into the path of lugs 44, 45.

At the same time, the pin 85 is releasedand is resting on the upper face of gear 46.

Let the boat 20 rest upon the deck and weight is taken off casing 1. The spring 72 causes the casing 1 to. ride upward on bolt 15 and lugs 44, 45 contact with lugs 53 on pawls 50, 51. Lugs 53 in this position are bearing against shoulders 95 on the gears 46, 47 and the pawls with the gears form a crank. As

- lugs 44, 45, pass lugs 53 the gears 46, 47 are turned'until pin 85 drops in opening 89 whereupon the aws are locked in open posi tion to release the bolt 18.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure, or arrangement, itis not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims, or the requirements of the prior art.

Having described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a casing. having an attaching arm resiliently coupled thereto, a pair of gripping jaws having spindles journalled inthe casing, a pair of gears rlgidly secured to adjacent splndles meshing with each other, resilient means between the gears for normally urging the jaws to open position, a pair of pawls rotatably supported onsaid adjacent spindles having lugs and pins thereon, a locking'arm slidably supported in said c'asingand straddling said pawls'and gears, said locking arm having lugs thereon disposed in the path of the lugs on the pawl, a spring secured to the gears and pawls for urging the pawl lugs in the path of the locking arm lugs, said locking arm securedat one end to the attaching arm to move the locking arm when a strain is taken on or removed from the casing, a pair of angular-shaped latch plates pivoted to the sides of the casing in the path of the pawl pins so that the pins will rest in the vertex of the angle of the plates, spring means between the latch plates for normally urging the vertex of the angle into the path of said pins, means on the casing for moving the latch plates apart and a pin engageable with said last mentioned means and selectively engageable with one of the gears for locking said jaws in open position.

2. A device of the character described comprising a bolt adapted for connection to a hoisting apparatus, a locking arm connected to said bolt, a casing movably mounted on the bolt and locking arm, a pair of gripping jaws journalled in the casing and adapted to open and close and selectively controlled means cooperating with the gripping jaws and said locking arm for turning said jaws to open position as the hoisting force is released.

3. A device of the character described comprising a bolt adapted for connection to a hoisting apparatus, a locking arm connected to the said bolt, a casing movably mounted on the bolt and locking arm, a pair of gripping jaws journalled in the casing and adapt ed to open and close and selectively controlled means cooperating with the grippingjaws and said locking arm for turning said jaws to open position as the hoisting force is released, and means responsive to the selectively controlled means for locking said gripping jaws in open position.

4. A device of the character described comprising a bolt adapted for connection to a hoisting apparatus, a locking arm connected to said bolt, a casing movably mounted on the bolt and locking arm, a pair of gripping jaws j ournalled in the casing and adapted to open and closeand selectively controlled means cooperating with the gripping jaws and said locking arm for turning said jaws toopen position as the hoisting force is released, and retractile. means independent of said selectively controlled means for normally urging said gripping jaws to close.

5. A device of the character described comprising a bolt adapted for connection to a hoisting apparatus, a locking arm connected to the said bolt, a casing movably mounted on the bolt and locking arm, a pair of gripping jaws journalled in the casing and adapted to open and close and selectively controlled means cooperating with the gripping jaws andsaid locking arm for turning said jaws to open position as the hoisting force is released, means responsive to the selectively controlled means for locking said gripping jaws in open position, and retractile means independent of said selectively controlled means for normally urging said gripping jaws to close.

6. A device of the character described comprising a bolt adapted for connection to a hoisting apparatus, a locking arm connected to said bolt, a casing movably mounted on the bolt and locking arm, a gripping member journalled in the casing and adapted to open and close and selectively controlled means cooperating with the gripping members and said locking arm for turning said jaws to open position as the hoisting force is released.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

OLA D. BUTLER. 

